The Driver and Read Families
First Generation
1. John Driver
John married Hester Harris
They had the following children:
2. M i. John Driver was born in 1772 and died on 28 February, 1810
Second Generation
2. John Driver (John) was born in 1772 in Dursley, Gloucester, England. He was christened on 25 July, 1773 in Berkley, Gloucester, England and died on 28 February, 1810 in Chapel Row, Sydney, Australia. He was buried on 2 March, 1810 in The Old Burying Ground, George Street, Sydney, Australia
From "The Second Fleet - Britain's Grim Convict Armada of 1790" by Michael Flynn
Driver, John (c1773-1810). John driver, a cord wainer aged 14, was committed to Gloucester Castle goal on 6 December 1787 charged with assaulting a man at Dursley and stealing a silver watch valued at two guineas (he had actually picked his pocket). He was convicted on a lesser charge of theft and sentenced to seven years transportation at the 15 January 1788 Gloucester Quarter Sessions and was sent on board the "Dunkirk" hulk at Plymouth on 24 June. At the end of November 1789 he was embarked on the "Neptune" transport.
Although only seventeen on arrival, Driver displayed an early talent for business in the colony and prospered quickly as a retail trader after the expiry of his sentence in December 1794. In June 1797 he fathered a daughter by the First Fleet convict Elizabeth Needham (b. 1762, tried Old Bailey) baptised Mary at Sydney in July. Needham's parents had been servants in the household of Lady Charlotte Finch (who had been governess to the children of George III) and her son George (later the Earl of Winchelsea). Needham had two children by her first husband, the First Fleet convict William Snailham (who appears to have died). In 1796 she received a 40 acre land grant at Bulanaming in her own name. In March 1796 the couple were living next door but one to the Chapel (which was at the corner of Hunter and Bligh Streets). Elizabeth held the licence of the Wheatsheaf public house at Sydney in 1787-99 and was an able businesswoman in her own right. Around 1799 the couple went back to England and returned to the colony as free settlers with three children on the "Minorca" in 1801.
From June 1803 Driver and his wife operated a warehouse and general store at No. 3 Chapel Row (later known as Castlereagh Street) Sydney, on an 81 rod lease allotment adjoining Thomas Taber's school. He also occupied premises on a site adjoining the new bridge in Sydney. This was probably the 66 rod allotment he leased jointly with Simeon Lord in July 1809 at the north end of the row on the west side of the spring (it may have been this, rather than the Chapel Row site, on which the Universal Warehouse was built). In August 1803 Driver advertised a great variety of goods for sale which illustrate how quickly the colony was developing from a penal encampment into a western consumption-oriented society. The goods for sale included green tea (unmixed and Souchong), sugar, butter, brazil tobacco, candles, soap, starch and blue, Capital Writing Fools-cap Paper, good coarse paper, stationery, copy and memorandum books, Juvenile Publications for the entertainment and improvement of Children, children's watches and toys, china tea sets, delft and manchester
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 1 of 32 cups, saucers and plates (plain and coloured), jugs, wash hand basins and tureens, fish plates and slides, soup plates, pepper mustard and salt islands, gridirons, flat smoothing irons, cutlery, scissors, men's and women's shoes, bonnets, perfumery, feathers, bands and flowers for bonnets, ribands, red flannel frocks, duck trousers, striped cotton shirts, Irish shirts (plain and frilled), leather breeches and boots, fine corded dimity, printed cotton and callico, checks, dungaree, flannel Laced Mode Cloaks (costing 3 to 5 guineas each), men's and women's stockings (black and white), gloves, cotton handkerchiefs, bandana and black Barcelone handkerchiefs, shoe strings, gloves, thread, tape, pins, needles (and other haberdashery), combs, gilt buttons, watch keys, seals, earrings, blacking cakes and tobacco pipes.
Driver's advertisement in the Sydney Gazette of 16 October 1803 indicates a broadening of his clothing range with the additional items including glassware, English pint mugs in various sizes, looking glasses, common and fine hats, scarlet bird eyes and laces. The advertisement of 8 July 1804 included such additional items as raisins, Bengal printed cotton, Norwich and other fine shawls, gentlemen's and ladies' patent silk stockings, finger rings, beads, neck chains and other trinkets, punjums, nankeens, pens, India rubber, fancy waistcoats, artificial flowers and wreathes, Spanish shoes, tumblers and glasses.
Driver held 40 acres by lease and purchase in 1806 which were not cultivated. Elizabeth held a publican's licence from 1803-1809 and was recorded with three male and two female children in 1806. Two of them Richard (1803) and Charles (c1805) were born at Sydney. The couple were strong supporters of the Rum Rebellion which resulted in Bligh's removal from power. John Driver was one of sixteen of the colony's principal inhabitants who signed a letter of support addressed to Major Johnston and written by John Macarthur on 26 January 1808, the day of the coup. Elizabeth subscribed £30 towards Macarthur's expenses for his anticipated trial in England. The Drivers are said to have displayed a sign in the hall of their house (probably their public house) on which a message painted in large characters read: "Success to Major George Johnson, may he live for ever! Our Deliverer and Suppressor of Tyrants". Driver received a 200 acre land grant at Cabramatta from the anti-Bligh regime. He died at his Chapel Row house on 28 February 1810 (aged about 36) having signed a will which appointed his wife sole executor and beneficiary. An obituary notice in the Sydney Gazette stated that he left a wife and five children "to regret the loss of a fond husband, and an indulgent parent, of whom it may also be asserted, that no man in existence had ever fewer enemies, or deserved them less". This widow married the Sydney dealer and publican Henry Marr on 29 October of the same year; she died on 3 January 1825 at the Star and Garter Inn at Portsmouth. She had only reached England three days earlier on her third return visit, and was buried in St. Thomas's Cathedral, Portsmouth, two days after her death. She rivalled Mary Reibey as the most prominent female emancipist of her day and was clearly a woman of considerable enterprise and ability.
John Driver was probably the son of John Driver and Hester Harris born at Dursley and baptised at nearby Berkley on 25 July 1773; trial ref. Glos. RO Q/SO/10; Q/S/1a 1788; Driver had initially been charged with what was technically a capital offence of highway robbery, but the prosecution was undertaken on a less serious charge of theft, probably because of the boy's age and the fact that the theft was really a case of pick-pocketing. Driver's somewhat illegal will left his estate to Elizabeth, mentioning that they had been married ten (?) years on 29 May, suggesting a marriage in England in 1800; he was described as an innkeeper aged 38 at burial; in December 1808 Driver was granted a second lease in Chapel Row for an 81 rod allotment (whether this was the same land as the 1803 lease, or an adjoining or nearby allotment is not clear); some details contributed by J.R. Richards and G. O'Hagan, author of a booklet titled: "The Jewel Beyond the Sea: the Life and Times of Elizabeth Needham, 1762 to 1825 (Melbourne, 1991).
John married Elizabeth Gore daughter of George Gore and Elizabeth Lake on 29 May, 1800 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Elizabeth was born in 1761 and was christened in St George, Hanover Square, London, England. She died on 3 January, 1825 in Star & Garter, Portsmouth, England
From "The Founders of Australia" by Mollie Gillen".
Needham, Elizabeth (c1761-1825)
Elizabeth Needham, said to be the wife of Henry Needham, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on 19 July 1786 to seven years transportation for theft of two pairs of silk stockings. The marriage of an Elizabeth Gore to Henry Needham at St. George's, Hanover Square, London is
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 2 of 32 recorded on 11 February 1782. In court she said she was servant to a perfumer in Bond Street, and challenged, said it was Grafter, which was also disproved. A petition for pardon was refused. "She told a long idle story about a ring given to [a colleague] by her father, who she said was a coachman to Lady Charlotte Finch, on account of which [the colleague] was to give her the stockings and a pair of buckles. Brought back to the shop on suspicion, the stockings fell from her. She behaved ill and made a disturbance" in the house. Aged 25, she was embarked on Lady Penrhyn on 9 January 1787. Bowes wrote that she was a needle worker, maker of childbed linen.
The service of Elizabeth's father in the household of Lady Charlotte Finch was no help to her in avoiding sentence of transportation, but she would benefit greatly in later years. Lady Charlotte Finch, whose husband was the Rt. Hon. William Finch, vice chamberlain to the household of George III, was governess to the royal children from 1762 when the eldest son George (later George IV) was born, and to the later infant princes and princesses (she died in 1813, aged 88).
Elizabeth was to have quite a remarkable life in NSW, due not only to her own initiative, but also to sponsorship by the Finch family. It began, perhaps unpromisingly, when at Port Jackson on 9 February 1788 she was assaulted by Private Thomas Bramwell because she refused to go into the woods with him. She was, according to Bowes, "a most infamous hussy wt. whom he had had connections while on board". On 17 February immediately after landing, she married William Snailham, both signing the register, and a son was baptised on 1 August (possibly by Bramwell, named William Dennis Thomas). A daughter Ann was baptised on 25 October 1791 and a daughter Charlotte, born 25 June 1794, was baptised on 10 August. In November that year Snailham was granted 30 acres at Mulgrave Place, this grant noted in 1800 as having been sold to Lieutenant Anthony Fenn Kemp. Snailham had apparently died or left the colony. In August 1794 Elizabeth was living next door but one to the chapel at Sydney.
On 15 September 1796 a grant of 40 acres at Bulanaming was issued to Elizabeth in her own name of Needham. On 16 July the following year a daughter by John Driver (possibly per "Neptune" 1790) was baptised Mary. In September 1798 she was operating a public house in Sydney, the Wheatsheaf, the licence of which was renewed a year later. She returned to England with Driver soon afterwards. They obtained permission to go back to the colony as free settlers and arrived at Port Jackson by "Minorca" in December 1801.
John Driver ran a warehouse and store in Chapel Row (later Castlereagh Street) and with her husband Elizabeth seems to have operated this business from at least as early as 1803. Elizabeth and John held publican's licences 1803-09. She was recorded with three male and two female children in 1806. Two sons Richard (1803) and Charles (1806) were born at Sydney. When he died in February 1810, Driver's will left his property to his wife Elizabeth "to whom I have been married ten[?] years on the 29th of May." On 30 October 1810 Elizabeth married Henry Marr, a successful Sydney dealer and publican, who had arrived as a convict per "Royal Admiral" in 1800.
In 1824 when she was making one of several return visits to England, Elizabeth Macarthur (wife of Captain John Macarthur formerly of the NSW Corps) wrote to her son in England enclosing a letter she had received from Elizabeth Marr and urged that her son receive a visit from her. "She is very desirous to see you ... I shall therefore briefly tell you who she is, & sketch her character. She is the foster sister of the present Earl of Winchelsea [sid, the 8th Earl of Winchelsea, son of Lady Charlotte Finch], by whom she is still patronised, her mother and father were very many years servants in the family of the late Lady Charlotte Finch... "[she] was born in the family, - brought up in it and remained until some unhappy occurrence led her astray... She came at the first settlement with Governor Phillip. I remember her well at my first arrival, I used to occasionally employ her in needle work. She was then rather pretty... & good tempered". Mrs. Macarthur mentioned Elizabeth's first husband (Snailham), and went on "Her second husband named Driver by whom she had several children, also died, and she married a very decent tradesman, named Henry Marr, a clever person, and one of the steadiest retail dealers in Sydney, this is the third trip the old lady has made to England". It was grief after the death of her two daughters and a recent letter from "the Earl" (explained Mrs. Macarthur) that had induced her to make the current visit to England by "Midas".
Whether or not Lord Winchilsea thought of Elizabeth as a foster sister, he did intervene in May 1819 to suggest land grants to her and her daughter Mary. Governor Lachlan Macquarie responded on 12 July that year by recommending Elizabeth to Earl Bathurst when she visited England by "Surry" in 1819 "Mrs. Marr, one of the oldest inhabitants of this Colony, a very well behaved woman, industrious and useful. She had long kept a Shop at Sydney, and carries on
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 3 of 32 in conjunction with her Husband, very advantageous Trade for the Town of Sydney. Having saved a little Money, She is now going Home... to see her friends in England, intending to return again to this Country with a useful Investment of Goods". Macquarie requested a return passage be arranged for her in about six months time. She returned by "Surry" on 24 September 1820.
Elizabeth's position of favour with Mrs. Macarthur makes very obvious her reasons for contributing £30 (in her own name as Elizabeth Driver) towards support for Macarthur's expenses in his plan to go to England in 1808 to present to the authorities "the very heavy grievances under which the Inhabitants of these Settlements" had suffered from Governor William Bligh's administration. In the event Macarthur did not go to England at that time.
Henry Marr's establishment in 1825 (operated, it was said, for the past 30 years) was reported as "the first retail warehouse of any importance in the Colony in Chapel Row... called "Universal Warehouse". There is no doubt that Elizabeth Needham was an enterprising and competent businesswoman, her success not far short of what the better known Mary Reibey (Royal Admiral 1792) had achieved in the colony. Her visit to England by "Midas" in 1824 was to be her last: she died at the Star and Garter Tavern, Portsmouth, on 3 January 1825, three days after arrival, following what had been a stormy passage in which the passengers had suffered severe privations.
Her husband Henry Marr, who remarried, held much property in the Sydney area, and his will included bequests to some of the Driver family. He died on 31 August 1835, aged given as 65.
John and Elizabeth had the following children:
3. F i. Mary (Elizabeth) Driver was born on 1 June, 1797 and died on 19 August, 1821
4. M ii. Richard Driver was born on 28 March, 1803 and died on 12 May, 1868
5. M iii. Charles Driver was born on 29 December, 1805 and died on 30 September, 1849
Third Generation
3. Mary (Elizabeth) Driver (John, John) was born on 1 June, 1797 in Sydney, NSW, Australia and was christened on 16 July, 1797. She died on 19 August, 1821 in Hobart, Tasmania and was buried in Old St. David's Church Yard, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
From "The Jewel Beyond the Seas" by Gary O'Hagan
Although she was Christened Mary, she was know as Elizabeth most of her life. The only record I have found using the name Mary Driver, other than her christening, was when her mother Elizabeth asked Lord Winchelsea to apply for land for herself and her daughter Mary".
Hobart Town Gazette - 28 Aug 1821. "Death - On Sunday last, Mrs. Elizabeth Read, wife of George Frederick Read, aged 24 years and 11 days, leaving a disconsolate husband and three small children to lament her loss - a dutiful daughter, affectionate wife and tender mother. She lived in charity with everyone, loved and respected by all who knew her".
This elegy which is taken from the same newspaper of 8 September, 1821, is said to refer to her death (E. Morris Miller: Pressmen and Governors, Sydney 1952 pp 235-6).
ON THE DEATH OF A MUCH LAMENTED FEMALE While remembrance draws the anguished tear Which Friendship sheds o'er thy lamented bier; O! Gentle Pity, "dove-eyed" maid desired, And sooth the Husband, Mother, Sister, Friend,
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 4 of 32 While from those kindred ties, forever torn Yet leave them not despairing, tho' forlorn; Bid them look forward to that future hour, When death disarmed of his Terrific power, When Angel-guides shall usher them to love, And meet her happy in the realms above"
Hobart Town Gazette 20 Oct, 1821. On 21 September in the same year, Elizabeth's sister Charlotte, wife of Mr. Cunningham of the Colonial Mutual Service, died of a lingering illness at the house of Mr. Henry Mau, [sic] Castlereagh Street, Sydney. An obituary states she was the eldest daughter of Mrs. Mau "and sister of Mrs. Read, late of Hobart Town".
Henry Marr's will "I give devise and bequeath unto Elizabeth Read Wife of George Frederick Read of Hobart Town Van Diemen's Land all those premises situate and being at the corner of Elizabeth Street and King Street Sydney aforesaid lately occupied by James Norton Solicitor to hold the same unto her heirs and assigns forever."
Mary married Capt. George Frederick Read son of Sarah Read on 13 March, 1816 in St. Phillips Church, Sydney, Australia. George was born on 29 September, 1788 in London, England and died on 23 July, 1860 in "Leyburne", Newtown, Hobart, Tasmania. He was buried on 26 July, 1860 in St David's Cemetery, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
NOTE: See 'The Terry & Read Family', #24 in Fourth Generation of that line for Capt. George Frederick Read.
From - Australian Dictionary of Biography http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A020320b.htm
Read, George Frederick (1788-1860), merchant, settler and banker, was born on 29 September 1788 in London. He went to sea when 11 and was probably engaged in the East India Co.'s maritime service until 1808. Later he recorded in his journal that he visited the Derwent settlement that year and again in 1812, but was irritated by having his cargo commandeered and his crew placed on rations. He is believed to have brought the first merchant vessel through Torres Strait, and he continued to trade between Hobart Town, Sydney, Batavia, Calcutta and China.
In May 1814 as master and part-owner of the "Amelia", a Brig built in Bombay and registered in Calcutta of some 80 tons, 2 guns and a crew of 20, he brought tea, sugar, rum and tobacco from Calcutta to Sydney and returned with wine and whale oil. When the "Amelia" returned to Sydney from Calcutta in 1815 it was under the command of Capt. Sam. Shaw. It is recorded in the Rev. Knopwood's Diary of June 1815 that the "Lynx" arrived in Hobart from Sydney carrying flour and horses. In 1816-18 he made voyages between Sydney, the Derwent, Batavia and Calcutta in his brig "Lynx". By July 1818 the "Lynx" was under the command of Capt. Siddins who eventually purchased the vessel. In 1816 he was granted a town allotment in Sydney and a grant of 500 acres in the country, but he suffered from asthma and in June 1818 moved to Hobart in the brig "Sophia" which arrived on July 11 under the command of Capt. James Kelly. His wife and son arrived in the "Jupiter" on 11th October that year under the command of Capt. Ainsworth.
He transferred his merchant establishment there and later formed partnerships with W.A. Bethune and Charles McLachlan. In 1819 he was granted 800 acres at Redlands, Plenty, and four government servants. In 1822 he built a stone warehouse on Hunter's Island facing Sullivan's Cove (the old wharf) and was appointed a magistrate. He was one of the original proprietors of the Bank of Van Diemen's Land and its managing director from 1827 to 1849, living for some time in a 'comfortably fixed' villa on the Derwent. In 1829 he resumed the former business of Read & Bethune, and from then until 1852 acted as agent for John Ingle.
He took a very considerable part in the development of the young colony, not least in its maritime industries, was one of the most important men in its formative years and contributed greatly to the community's welfare. He had interests in several ships trading to India, China and the Philippines, in which his third son, Henry (1828-1894), made several voyages as supercargo, and his ships took part in sealing and whaling. He was a good practical farmer, grew fine wheat, made bricks and helped to establish the salmon ponds at Redlands. He had other properties: Ivanhoe and Kinvarra, in the Plenty-New Norfolk district, Seton near
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 5 of 32 Richmond, and Thornhill near Sorell. He also had a three-storied stone tea-warehouse in Salamanca Place, Hobart, other Hobart town property, and city sections bought at Melbourne's first land sale. He was versatile, enterprising and far-sighted. Lieut-Governor Sorell spoke highly of him, made him an assessor in the Lieut-Governor's Court and in 1822 appointed him a magistrate; however, he fell out with Lieut-Governor Arthur, protested against licensing the press, and was removed from the magistracy.
In 1816 at St Philip's Sydney, he married Elizabeth Driver; they had one son, G.F. Read junior (1817-1854), a pioneer at Port Phillip, and two daughters. His wife died on 19 August 1821, and on 24 November 1824 at St David's Hobart, he married Margaret (1800-1889), daughter of John Terry, a flour-miller of New Norfolk. By his second marriage he had six sons and four daughters. He died at his home, Leyburne, New Town, on 23 July 1860.
Several of his letters to John Ingle were published under the title "Tasmanian Letters 1824- 1852 (Christchurch, 1945). (Author - H.C.C. Langdon)
Family legend has it that George was the eldest son of George IV and a Mrs. Maria Fitzherbert, but no proof has ever been found. On the contrary, when my grandmother Lilly Muriel Smith and her twin, Pearl, were in London, they found that pages had been torn out of every document they investigated. Latterly, James Moss of Wangaratta discovered that Elizabeth Gore's father had been coachman to the governess of the baby George IV. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
George and Mary had the following children:
6. M i. George Frederick Henry Read was born on 22 March, 1817 and died on 26 February, 1854
7. F ii. Elizabeth Read was christened on 25 December 1818 in Hobart, Tasmania and died unmarried in Victoria, Australia
8. F iii. Sarah Aubrey Read was born on 25 February, 1820 and died on 21 June, 1900
4. Richard Driver (John, John) was born on 28 March 1803 and was christened on 18 April, 1803 in St. Phillip's Church, Sydney. He died on 12 May, 1868 and was buried in Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
Married Elizabeth Powell, sister of Jane Powell who married Capt. Richard Siddins, purchaser of the brig "Lynx" from George Frederick Read. A well known sporting publican in early Sydney. Henry Marr's will - "I give bequeath unto the said Richard Driver and Charles Driver twenty pounds each to purchase Mourning"
Richard (Dick) worked Camberwell Farm, Kemp's Creek from 1825. He raised a flock of 350 ewes from two Merino rams that his mother had brought to the colony from Windsor Park in England. In 1827 he was appointed a Land Waiter in the Customs Department on an annual salary of £150.
Richard bought residence in Elizabeth Street, (cr. King St) near Hyde Park and opened it as a pub "The Three Tuns" (cricketers pub). Property in names of Elizabeth Read and Aubrey (Read) Smith sold 20 October 1874 to John Starkey. It was one of the old-style cottages with a broad verandah supported by pillars, having been previously the private residence of the lawyer Mr. James Norton and was next to the Supreme Criminal Court. Witnesses waiting to appear in court quite often got drunk waiting for their case to be heard and ended up in gaol themselves charged with contempt for being inebriated. Dick Driver was a well known figure in Sydney social, sporting and political life. He was elected a councillor for the ward of Burke in 1843. He held a strong opinion that the native-born colonists should have more say in running the Colony.
Richard was very involved in the Australian Cricket Club, Sydney's leading club, and was Secretary from 1833. The Australian Club's ground was at Hyde Park with their headquarters
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 6 of 32 at the nearby "Three Tuns". Dick was well known for his knowledge of rules of cricket and was often asked to umpire games.
From Australian 27th January 1830: "Bailed Up - As Mr. Richard Driver was driving to his farm at Kemp's Creek on Friday a little after noon, just as he had got within about a mile and a quarter of his own gate, he was suddenly surprised by two men out of the bush, who presented a musket each, called to the driver of the van belonging to Mr. D to stop which preemptory mandate being complied with, both men came up and accepted Mr. Driver's offer of a dollar and some halfpence, which was all the money he carried about him; then inspected the van, which happened to contain little or nothing; said they would not mind taking a few cakes which Mr. D was carrying home for his children, but one fellow observed that he would change hats, saying a white beaver did not agree with his complexion is well as Mr. Driver's black one; and the other very quietly exchanged coats and waistcoats with the young man who accompanied Mr. D. Notwithstanding all their coolness and effrontery both betrayed symptoms of agitation, and one frequently cautioned the other to keep a sharp look out along the road in front and rear. They strongly advised Mr. Driver to feed and treat his Government servants well, letting him know it was nothing but sheer starvation and maltreatment drove them to follow their present predatory, perilous and miserable pursuits. They said had any female been in the van they would not have alarmed her by molesting it; that they would levy contributions certainly upon passengers when they could and give such masters as starved their Government servants ten minutes for prayer, but treat others civilly, and on the most civil terms imaginable they parted. Mr. Driver, as soon as he could reach the next police station, apprised the constable there of his adventure. The constable in place of mustering others to aid him in a pursuit treated the matter very coolly, and we believe refused to budge. Mr. Jones of the firm Jones and Walker, merchants, happening to be up the country took Mr. Driver's deposition as to the robbery, and promised to see their factory constable dealt with. The hat, coat and waistcoat are now in the custody of the Police in Sydney. They are very likely to be part of the articles of which Mr. Bowman was later stripped. One of the bushrangers had a cut on the cheek, and from other resemblances it does seem improbable but the pair are the Notorious Underwood and Donahoe. Both spoke with the twang of the brogue".
(Note: From their description the bushrangers were most likely "Darky" Underwood and "Bold Jack" Donahoe, the latter being the original "Wild Colonial Boy". The Underwood gang with William Underwood and John Donahoe and others operated from 1820 to 1832 on the roads around Campbelltown, Penrith, Liverpool and Liberty Plains, with Burragong as their headquarters. Donahoe was shot by police in 1830 and Underwood in 1832). (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Richard married Elizabeth Powell on 17 January, 1823 in St. Phillip's Church, Sydney. Elizabeth was born on 17 July, 1806 in "Curryburry", Richmond, NSW, Australia and was buried on 1 April, 1893 in Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
They had the following children:
9. F i. Elizabeth Driver was born on 13 June 1824 and was christened on 27 June, 1824. She died unmarried on 27 April, 1905 and was buried in Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
10. F ii. Charlotte Driver was born on 21 May, 1827 and was christened on 17 June, 1827 in St. James, Sydney, Australia. She died on 2 December, 1828 at Camberwell Farm, Kemp's Creek, NSW, Australia and was buried in the family plot at Rockwood Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
11. M iii. Richard Driver was born on 18 September, 1829 and died on 7 July, 1880
12. F iv. Jane Driver was born on 12 November, 1831 and died on 18 May, 1902. She was buried in Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
13. M v. George Driver was born on 28 May, 1834 and was christened on 22 June, 1834 in St. James, Sydney, Australia. He died on 10 September, 1863 and was buried in Sandhillls Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 7 of 32 14. F vi. Augusta Driver was born on 12 August, 1836 and was christened on 4 September, 1836 in St. James, Sydney, Australia. Augusta married Samuel Willis Wayland in 1874
15. F vii. Lucy Driver was born on 31 May, 1838 and was christened on 1 July, 1838 in St. James, Sydney, Australia. She was buried in Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
16. M viii. Frederick Driver was born on 15 November, 1841 and was christened on 12 December, 1841 in St. James, Sydney, Australia. He died on 11 November, 1872. Frederick married Lucy Ann Harper in 1870
17 M ix. Henry Driver was born on 21 October, 1844 and died on 10 April, 1876
5. Charles Driver (John, John) was born on 29 December, 1805 in Sydney, NSW, Australia and was christened on 12 January, 1806 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. He died on 30 September, 1849 and was buried in Sydney, NSW, Australia
Charles Driver travelled with his mother twice to England, first on the ship Surry in 1819, then on the Midas in 1824. His mother, Elizabeth Marr died when they arrived at Portsmouth and Charles came back to NSW aboard the ship William Shand. Charles was educated at the Sydney Grammar School run by Dr. Halloran and was awarded a silver medal for his studies in December 1822. He was appointed a Tide Waiter in the Department of Customs 12 June 1827. Charles took up farming in 1827. He warned persons from grazing stock at Belangeal, Argyleshire. In 1835 he had 200 head of cattle for sale from his property at Sutton Forest, and also offered a reward for a missing horse from Black Bob's Creek or Plough Ground. Charles held the license to "The Plough", Liverpool Road, Bankstown in 1836 and 1837.
On 28th June 1828 Charles married Miss Mary Ann Underwood, born in Sydney, the eldest daughter of Joseph and Charlotte Underwood. Joseph Underwood, merchant and sealing master arrive in NSW aboard the Sydney Cove with his wife and two young boys as free settlers. The ship Sydney Cove was partly owned by Joseph's brother James Underwood, who was the Sydney shipbuilder in partnership with Henry Kable. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Charles married Mary Ann Underwood on 28 June, 1828 in St. Phillip's Church, Sydney. Mary was born on 26 August, 1808 and was christened in St. Phillip's Church, Sydney. She died in 1894 in Ashfield, Sydney, Australia
They had the following children:
18. F i. Mary Ann Driver was born on 15 April, 1829 and was christened on 14 May, 1829 in St Phillip's Church, Sydney, Australia
19. M ii. John Joseph Driver was born on 25 November, 1830
20. F iii. Elizabeth Driver was born on 13 October, 1832 and was christened in 1832 in All Saints, Sutton Farm, NSW, Australia
21. M iv. Walter Underwood Driver was born on 23 July, 1835
22. M v. Charles Driver was born in May, 1838 and died on 9 November, 1850 in Camperdown, Newtown, NSW, Australia
23. F vi. Julia Driver was born on 17 July, 1840 and was christened on 24 November, 1850 in St. Thomas, Enfield, NSW. Australia
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 8 of 32
24. M vii. Frederick Driver was born on 1 July, 1843
Fourth Generation
6. George Frederick Henry Read (Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 22 March, 1817 in Sydney, NSW, Australia and died on 26 February, 1854 in "Cargarie", Victoria, Australia
In 1835 he was living at "Ivanhoe". At the age of 19 he was sent by his father to Port Phillip, to take up a squatting run in what is now the Geelong district. He crossed Bass Strait in the "John Dunscombe", taking with him 675 sheep, arriving at Port Henry on 5 May 1837. He eventually purchased some 23,710 acres on the Yarrowee and Cargarie Creeks, near Meredith, which he called "Cargarie". This remained in the Read family until 1859, when it was sold to Alexander McGillivary. In 1849 George Read acquired Borhoneyghurk West Station, on the Moorabool River, near Meredith, and this he held until 1853, when it was purchased by his brother-in-law, Capt. Alexander John Smith, R.N. In 1851 he entered into partnership with John MacLeod in Koroit Station, 8000 acres, near Coleraine, but sold his share in the following year to his father-in-law, Alexander Paterson. His father, George Frederick Read, purchased 787 acres at what is now Belmont, Geelong, naming it "Terona", and put it under entail for his son, Alexander Read.
Hobart Town Courier, Dec 1, 1837 p3, Col. 6 "In the matter of the insolvency of George Frederick Read of Mount Nelson, Van Diemen's Land, Mariner was declared insolvent". In 1835 G.F. Read Jr. resided at "Ivanhoe", near New Norfolk. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
George married Helen Paterson daughter of Alexander and Agnes Paterson on 22 June. 1849 in St. Stephens, River Barwon. Helen was born on 18 September, 1822 and died in 1913 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
They had the following children:
25. M i. George Frederick Read was born on 23 May, 1850 in Cargarie, Victoria, Australia and died on 20 October, 1850
26. F ii. Agnes Read was born on 19 August, 1851 and died in 1932
27. M iii. Alexander Read was born on 28 December, 1853 and died on 30 July, 1909
8. Sarah Aubrey Read (Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 25 February, 1820 in Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land and died on 21 June, 1900 in Anlaby, Clendon Road, Toorak, Victoria, Australia.
Handwritten in Aunt Amy's beautiful handwriting (Amy Maud Smith, married Oswald Ventry Gayer, no children). Sarah Aubrey Read was born in Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land in 1821, and died at Toorak, Melbourne, Victoria on 21 June 1900.
She was the second daughter of George Frederick Read of New Town, Hobart Town, who was at one time, in the service of the Hon. East India Company, and later, was founder and Governor of the Bank of Van Diemen's Land. Sarah Aubrey's early years were spent in her father's home in New Town, a large two-storey stone house, which still stands. The upper windows command beautiful views of Mt. Wellington, snow-capped in the winter, and of the lovely Estuary of the Derwent. The garden was filled with fragrant English flowers, and was shaded by oaks and elms.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 9 of 32 It was up the Estuary of the Derwent, that the two famous ships the 'Erebus' and the 'Terror' sailed in August 1840 on their way to Hobart Town to make final preparations for the Expedition to the South Pole under the command of Sir James Clark Ross. There are many accounts of this memorable Antarctic Expedition, and as well as the scientific records made, Sir Joseph Hooker, the botanist, then a young man, added much to the knowledge of Antarctic botany. He was on the 'Erebus'.
Sir James Ross writes in his journal that the society of Hobart Town was "English and agreeable and apparently one of his young officers thought the same, as, before the ships sailed for the South, Lieutenant A.J. Smith R.N. of H.M.S. Erebus became engaged to Sarah Aubrey Read, whom he describes in his letters to his people in England as "very pretty, petite and vivacious".
A life-long friendship was formed between Lieutenant Smith and Sir Joseph Hooker, and many of the latter's long, interesting letters to his friend have been kept.
Sir John Franklin, who was afterwards lost in the 'Erebus' and 'Terror' Expedition in search of the North West Passage, was Governor of Van Diemen's Land at this time. He was deeply interested in Sir James Ross's venture, and after the departure of the ships, he happened to hear that Sarah Aubrey had received a letter from her fiancé, sent by means of a ship encountered on the way to the South. Sir John immediately sent his aide-de-camp to the home in New Town with the request "that Miss Read would graciously give any information of interest with regard to the expedition, that she had received from Lieutenant Smith".
After the return of the ships to England (they first called at Hobart Town) Lieutenant Smith again sailed for Van Diemen's Land and he and Sarah Aubrey Read were married at Hobart Town in 1844.
For some years he had charge of the Observatory, and completed scientific observations commenced during the Antarctic Expedition. He resigned his appointment in 1852 and proceeded with his wife and children to Victoria. Here he was made Warden of the newly discovered gold-fields at Castlemaine by Governor, Sir Charles La Trobe.
Later Commander Smith purchased the property of 'Langley' near Kyneton, where he devoted much of his time to his beautiful garden, and to the politics of Victoria, as he was now a Member of the Legislative Assembly. He and his wife loved to welcome former naval friends at 'Langley' and to receive news from them of their people and of mutual friends in England. Commander and Mrs. Smith's children were: Mrs. H.M. Chomley (Emma) wife of the Chief Commissioner of Police of Melbourne, an important position at that time) Mrs. Parker (Georgie) wife of Captain Philip Hastings Parker ... Here the paper runs out. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Sarah married Captain Alexander John Smith son of Lord Henry Smith and Jane Mary Voase on 12 October, 1844 in St Johns Church, Newtown, Van Diemen's Land. Alexander was born on 20 December 1812 and died on 7 September, 1872 in Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia. He was buried in Campbell's Creek Cemetery, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
Cause of Death - Affection of the heart & inflammation of the lungs
Obituary November 9, 1872 (don't know which paper, maybe English?) - Commander Alexander John Smith (Retired List W) died at Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia, on Sept 7 last, aged 59.He entered the Navy, Dec. 18 1826, as a 1st-class vol. on board the Thetis, frigate (name of frigate ended with a g) for South America. On that ship being wrecked off Cape Frio, Dec 5 1830, he returned to England in the Druid, and in the ensuing March was discharged. In Jan 1832 he became Midshipman (a rating he had before attained) of the Harrier, then equipping for the East Indies, where he was actively employed in the suppression of piracy in the Straits of Malacca, and took part in two severe conflicts which terminated in the destruction of the settlements at Poulo Arroa and Poulo Sujee. The Harrier being paid off, he next in Dec 1835 (he had passed his examination Aug 5 preceding), joined in the capacity of Mate the Cove, 6th rate, Capt. J.C. Ross, with whom in the ensuing January he left England for the purpose of seeking out and of conveying relief to some missing whalers who had been frozen up in Baffin's Bay. After serving for a few months on the north coast of Spain in the Salamander, steamer, and for two years among the Orkneys as extra mate in the Mastiff, surveying vessel, he was again in April 1839, placed under the orders of Capt. J.C. Ross, as senior mate of the Erebus, bomb, in which vessel he sailed in September of the same year, in
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 10 of 32 company with the Terror, on a voyage of discovery to the Antarctic Seas. For his services while so employed he was (in compliance with a special request from Capt. Ross) promoted on Aug 16, 1841, to the rank of Lieutenant. He came home in Sept, 1843 and in 1844 was placed in charge of the Observatory at Hobart Town. He afterwards became Commissioner of Gold Fields at Castlemaine, in Victoria, and was twice elected to represent that town in the Victorian Parliament.
Another obituary.
The Late Captain Smith - Referring to the death of Captain A.J. Smith, who died at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. Supt. Chomley, at Sandhurst, on Monday last, the M.A. Mail remarks - "He came out to Tasmania with Sir John Franklyn (wrong),in the Australian Expedition, and eventually made a temporary sojourn in that island, where he had charge of the Hobart Town Observatory. (He was also with the Erebus and Terror in the Arctic [sic] Expedition). As Lieutenant A.J. Smith, R.N., he was amongst the early Government officials on the Castlemaine goldfield, as Warden and Chinese protector, and he never had about him any of the bad odour which attached to the officials of those troublesome days; on the contrary, his very unostentatious manner, which gave the idea that he was modest to a fault, by contrast assured a wide feeling of respect and good will. He was a well fortuned man when he came here, and invested in property in the town, and homestead at Langley.
Changes were made, which resulted in his receiving notice that he was removed to another part of the colony, and he therefore resigned. He contested an election at Castlemaine with Dr. Macadam, and polled the largest number of votes ever polled here by any candidate; and on retiring from political life withdrew to his home at Langley. Latterly he suffered from internal disease, which developed into an affection of the heart and inflammation of the lungs, to which he succumbed. The death of Captain A.J. Smith severs another of the links which connected the long time past of Castlemaine with the present; and it will be heard of with very general feeling of surprise and regret by those who knew him. The remains of Captain Smith were buried yesterday in the Castlemaine cemetery. Among whose who followed the bearers were Captain Kay, R.N., Captain Bunce, R.N., Mr. J. Cogdon, P.M., Mr. Superintendent Chomley, and several of the Castlemaine Borough Council. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
The Expeditions The Antarctic expedition 1839-1843, James Clark Ross
James Clark Ross was an Englishman who by 1839 was the most experienced polar officer in the world. He had successfully located the north magnetic pole (1831) and had spent eight winters in the Arctic, having been there for seventeen of the previous twenty years. He was also reckoned by some to be the most handsome officer in the Royal Navy. What better credentials could he have to lead this latest of John Barrow's - the Second Secretary to the Admiralty - latest quest.
Ross sailed south for the Antarctic in the autumn (fall) of 1839 in command of the Erebus and Terror, the aim was to find the south magnetic pole. This was to be part of Britain's contribution to an international year of co-operation whereby European nations would set up magnetic observatories around the world, coordinating readings on fixed dates and comparing readings.
The expedition was extremely well equipped by any standards. There were stores for three years including large amounts of vegetable soup, pickled cabbage and carrots to keep scurvy at bay. There were ice saws, portable forges, winter clothing for every man and even a small flock of sheep. Each ship held a crew of sixty four. They did not handle well (partly because of the shallow draft) though they represented the epitome at the time of naval ingenuity. No sailing ships before or since that time were better prepared for their task with such fine attention to detail.
"It is not easy to describe the joy and light heartedness we all felt, as we passed the entrance to the (English) Channel, bounding before a favourable breeze over the blue waves of the ocean, fairly embarked on the enterprise we had all so long desired to commence" James Clark Ross
Boats from HMS Erebus and HMS Terror - Sounded in open ocean at 27.43 S and 17.48 W. Recorded depth of approximately 2200 fathoms. First modern successful sounding in deep ocean. Progress south was rather less hurried than subsequent voyages and it was a year after leaving England that Ross eventually left Hobart Town in Van Diemen's Land (today known as Hobart in Tasmania) for the Antarctic Ocean. Rather than go directly he first sailed
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 11 of 32 to the 180th line of longitude and then turned south, this was partly to avoid rival French and American expeditions under D'Urville and Wilkes respectively. Ross had also learned from sealers that at this 180th meridian they had seen a lagoon-like stretch of open water beyond the pack ice.
The first iceberg of the voyage was sighted just after Christmas Day in 1840, on New Year's Day 1841 the ships crossed the Antarctic Circle. Warm weather clothing was issued free to all of the crew. They came to the pack edge on the 3rd of January, there was open water beyond the consolidated edge, open narrow leads rather than the lagoon they had heard about, but open navigable water nevertheless. Ross picked his point and rammed the edge of the ice with the Erebus. For an hour, he repeatedly rammed the same spot - this in a sailing ship it must be remembered. Eventually it gave way and the two ships could pass through between the mass of open sea and ice floes, they wormed their way ever southwards. Ross pushed through the pack, his strengthened bomb ships being able to do this unlike those of D'Urville and Wilkes. After a week, by the 9th of January, he was through the band of pack ice into an "open polar sea", the "lagoon" the sealers had spoken about. Now all eyes looked to the south straining for a glimpse of land. The ships were in a region that had never been visited by man before and all those on board the two ships were filled with a sense of awe at their achievement and what they were beholding. The dipping needles they carried showed that the magnetic south pole was very near by.
On January the 11th land was sighted, a range of mountains which Ross called the "Admiralty Range". This was a time in which any new land seen in this region was the first time it had ever been seen. There were no native peoples and discoverers could name features as they pleased as long as they stayed within certain conventions. Thus "Cape Adare" was named after a friend and "Victoria Land" after the recently crowned English queen, other features followed thick and fast.
"We had discovered a land of so extensive a coastline and attaining such an altitude as to justify the appellation of a Great New Southern Continent." James Clark Ross
Ross had stumbled into one of the "bites" taken out of the otherwise rounded shape of Antarctica in an area that was to become known as the "Ross Sea". After following the mountainous coastline for two weeks, an active volcano was sighted rising 12,400 feet skywards from 100 miles away in the incredible visibility common in Antarctica. The volcano's peak appeared to flash red fire at night and by day streamed a dark vapour cloud. Ross named it Mount Erebus after his ship and another smaller and extinct volcano rising to 10,900 feet, further to the east Mount Terror. On reaching nearly to Mount Erebus Ross encountered a feature he called the "Great Ice Barrier" at 78°4'S, a wall of ice rising 160 feet out of the sea and "extended as far to the east and west as the eye could discern" that prevented any further sailing south. He called the sea at the point where he met the barrier "McMurdo Sound" after the first lieutenant on the Terror.
The ice barrier could not circumvented nor seen over, landing was impossible as the barrier's ice wall was vertical. What was not known, but has been discovered since is that the barrier represents the front edge of a vast ice shelf flowing from the Antarctic interior 1,000 feet deep and extending for about 1,000 miles. As an experienced Arctic navigator - he had spent four years in the ice a decade before - Ross realised that the entry through the band of pack to the great ice barrier may have been a freak and it could easily close behind them, never to open again. The Antarctic was not like the Arctic with its plentiful seasonal game and not wishing to risk an Antarctic winter frozen into the ice, the course was reversed. Erebus and Terror turned around on the 9th of February. Not before time as the sea was starting to freeze, the Erebus and Terror returned to Hobart in April for a three month refit.
The following austral summer, Ross sailed south once again, this time he had obtained a chart from the voyage of the L'Astrolabe and Zelee. They entered the pack ice at 60°50' S, 147°25' W. This time the pack held them and they drifted helplessly. On January the 19th 1842, both ships rudders were wrecked by ice in a gale and the Erebus had her hull stripped of its copper sheeting. They were not freed from the ice to sail again until February the 2nd when they left the consolidated pack. The furthest south reached was 78°11'. It would be almost sixty years before another ship ventured so far south again.
On March the 13th there was a final brush with disaster as Erebus collided with Terror sweeping away the Terror's bowsprit. The two ships drifted towards two icebergs some sixty feet apart. Terror passed through first before Erebus whose yards (ends of the horizontal wooden poles from which the sails hung) hit the iceberg again and again. Ross eventually
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 12 of 32 sailed her through the space between the icebergs "by the hazardous expedient of the sternboard". In other words, he sailed backwards.
The two ships returned to the Falkland Islands before setting off for the south again in December 1842 to explore the Antarctic Peninsula though they did not get so far as they had done previously. They arrived back home on the 4th of September 1843, four years and five months after setting off. Data had been gathered on magnetism, oceanography and substantial botanical and ornithological specimen collections had been made. It was to be the last major voyage of exploration made entirely under sail.
Ross returned to England triumphant and to receive a knighthood. Despite his findings, no- one but whalers and sealers would follow. The Antarctic continent existed and was prodigious in size, though it would be fifty years before any attempt was made to explore the land surface. (Sourced from Merilyn Pederick)
Alexander and Sarah had the following children:
28. F i. Aubrey Emma Elizabeth Smith was born on 27 August, 1845 and died on 26 October, 1914
29. F ii. Georgina Jane Smith was born on 8 June, 1847 and died on 31 May, 1899
30. F iii. Frances Maria Smith was born on 8 Jul 1849. Her father's birthday list says she was born 7.57 p.m. Frances married Sir Walter Synnot Manifold on 23 April, 1885. Walter was born on 30 Mar 1849 in Grasmere, Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia. He died on 15 November, 1928 in Toorak, Melbourne, Australia. They had no children
Member of the Legislative Council of Victoria for 22 years, unofficial Leader of the Legislative Council, and also president 1919-23, afterwards Knighted. (Merilyn Pedrick has an oval table-cloth with his name tape on it.) (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
31. M iv. Alexander Henry Smith was born on 21 April, 1852and died on 6 July, 1935
32. F v. Edith Margaret Smith was born on 15 August, 1854 and died on 14 April, 1906
33. F vi. Maud Margaret Smith was born on 15 September, 1859 and died on 3 Jun 1946
34. M vii. Edward Bernhard Smith was born on 19 Apr 1861 and died young
11. Richard Driver (Richard, John, John) was born on 18 September, 1829 in Coolah, NSW, Australia and was christened on 1 November, 1829 in St. James, Sydney, Australia. He died on 7 July 1880 in St. Aubyn Villa, Moor Park Road and was buried in Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
Solicitor, politician and sportsman (Richard Driver Jr. 1829-1880)
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol IV 1851-1890 pp 102-103)
Henry Marr's will - "I give and bequeath unto Richard Driver son of Richard Driver ten head of horned Cattle
It was Richard Driver (grandson of John Driver and Elizabeth Needham, who introduced the bill into the Legislative Assembly 12th December 1868 - "To authorise the appropriation of the Old Burial Ground ... that the land shall revert to the Crown ... this act cause the remains of all persons buried in the Ground herein authorised to be granted together with all slabs or
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 13 of 32 tombstones ... to be collected with due care and removed to the Necropolis. (Sydney Morning Herald 25 December 1868)
From "The Jewel Beyond the Seas" by Gary O'Hagan, page 45: "The eldest son, Richard Driver Jr. evidently inherited his father's love of the game (cricket). He was very involved in the organisation of inter-colonial competitions and became co-secretary of the New South Wales Cricket Association when it was formed in 1859. He started playing with the Union Club, then played one season with the Fitzroy Club before playing for the Australia Club from 1850-1856. When playing he was invariably assigned the position in the field of back-stop or wicket-keeper, and he also proved himself handy with the bat. Richard Driver Jr. was honoured for his contribution to cricket, having Driver Avenue on the west side of the Sydney Cricket Ground named after him.
Young Dick Driver served his articles of apprenticeship with F.R. (Bob) Nicholas, Sydney's most astute and successful solicitor, who later entered partnership with John Williams. Richard Driver was admitted as a solicitor in 1856. In 1859 he became solicitor to the Corporation of Sydney and by industry and application acquired a lucrative practice. He entered the political arena and was for some 20 years the parliamentary representative for West Macquarie, Corcoar then Windsor. He was Minister for Lands in the Government of Sir Henry Parkes. He was also active in yachting, rowing and horse-racing. Dick had some very radical ideas and like his father, felt strongly that the native-born should have more to say in the running of the Colony.
Richard married Elizabeth Margaret Marlow on 7 February, 1871. Elizabeth was born in 1837 and died in October, 1904. She was buried in Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
They had the following children:
35. M i. Richard Driver was born on 5 July 1872 and was buried on 23 September, 1872 in Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
36. F ii. Eva Julia Driver (Sang in the Parramatta choir.)
17. Henry Driver (Richard, John, John) was born on 21 October, 1844 and was christened on 17 November, 1844 in St James, Sydney, Australia. He died on 10 April, 1876 in Bathhurst, NSW, Australia and was buried in the family plot at Rockwood Cemetery, Sydney. He was a Solicitor
Henry married Ann Jane Richards in 1867
They had the following children:
37. M i. Henry A Driver was born in 1870
19. John Joseph Driver (Charles, John, John) was born on 25 November 1830 and was christened in 1830 in Berrima, Bong Bong, Sutton Forest, NSW, Australia
Henry Marr's will - "I give and bequeath unto John Driver son of Charles Driver all that Farm containing one hundred acres of land situate at Sutton Forest aforesaid [Meredith Farm] absolute and forever"
John married Elizabeth Coote
They had the following children:
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 14 of 32
38. F i. Sarah Driver
39. M ii. Frederick A C Driver
40. M iii. Charles Robert Driver
41. F iv. Amy Ellen Driver
42. F v. Fanny A Driver
43. F vi. Martha May Driver
44. F vii. Mary Anne Driver
45. F viii. Clementine E Driver
21. Walter Underwood Driver (Charles, John, John) was born on 23 July 1835 and was christened in St. Phillip's Church, Sydney, Australia
Walter married Janet Harper in 1873
They had the following children:
46. M i. Frederick George Driver
47. F ii. Margaret Mary Driver
48. M iii. Charles Andrew J Driver
24. Frederick Driver (Charles, John, John) was born on 1 July, 1843 and was christened on 24 November, 1850 in St Thomas, Enfield, NSW, Australia
Frederick married Amelia Mary Davison in 1875. Amelia was born in 1845 and died in 1928
Frederick and Amelia had the following children:
49. F i. Florence Henrietta Driver was born in 1876
50. F ii. Lilly L Driver was born in 1878 and died in 1937
51. M iii. Frederick John Driver was born in 1880. Frederick married Elizabeth Ffloyd in 1906. Elizabeth was born in 1882 and died in 1912
52. M iv. Charles F Driver was born in 1882 and died in 1905
53. M v. Ernest J W Driver was born in 1885
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 15 of 32 Fifth Generation
26. Agnes Read (George Frederick Henry Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 19 August, 1851 in Cargarie, Victoria, Australia and died in 1932
Agnes married Capt. Frederick Bowdler Gipps (Of the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment). Frederick was born in 1839 and died in 1904 in Cheltenham
Frederick and Agnes had the following children:
54. M i. Lt. Col. Henry Brook Lawrence Gipps
55. F ii. Constance Elaine Gipps died in 1972. Constance married Lt. Col. Edward Knox Knight son of Robert Knight and Lucy Jane Knox. Edward died in 1918 in Rainecourt, France
56. F iii. Aubrey Ella Violet Gipps
57. M iv. George Plumtre Gipps
58. M v. Gilbert Frederick Gipps
59. F vi. Isobel Helen Winifred Gipps
60. F vii. Estelle Josephine Beatrice Gipps
61. M viii. Harold Bridges Gipps
27. Alexander Read (George Frederick Henry Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 28 December, 1853 and died on 30 Jul 1909 at "Lawaluk", Mount Mercer, Victoria, Australia
Educated at Geelong Grammar and Melbourne Grammar. He chose a pastoral career and gained experience on a Queensland Station before returning in 1878 to settle on "Terona", which he inherited under entail from his father. He sold this property in 1888 and purchased "Fernleigh", a property on the Barwon. He also owned "Lawaluk" at Mount Mercer, which he held until his death. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Alexander married (1) Georgianna Anne Moore. Georgianna was born on 26 July 1852 and died on 23 December, 1889 in England
Alexander and Georgianna had the following children:
62. Seven Children
Alexander married (2) Elizabeth Green née Rae. Elizabeth died in 1947
Elizabeth had two children by her first marriage. Their names may have been Alan Stanley Green and Doris Marion Green. Elizabeth did not get on well with her stepson, Lon Read.
Alexander and Elizabeth had the following children:
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 16 of 32
63. M viii. Alexander George Frederick Read was born on 4 September, 1894. Alexander married Grace Clarke and it is believed that they had no children
64. F iii. Lno Ivy Read was born on 4 December, 1903
28. Aubrey Emma Elizabeth Smith (Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 27 August, 1845 in Langley, near Kyneton, Victoria, Australia and died on 26 October, 1914 in Melbourne, Australia. She was buried in 1914 in St Kilda Cemetery, Melbourne
Her father's birthday list says she was born 11.29 p.m.
Aubrey married Hussey Burgh Malone Chomley, Chief Commissioner of Police, Melbourne, in 1865. Hussey was born on 8 August, 1832 in 24 Merrion Square, Dublin, Ireland and died on 12 July 1906 in "Ovama", Huntingtower Road. Malvern, Melbourne, Australia. He was buried in St Kilda Cemetery, Melbourne
Hussey and Aubrey had the following children:
65. M i. Alexander Francis Chomley was born on 14 January, 1867 and died on 18 April, 1911
66. M ii. Arthur Aubrey Chomley was born on 17 March, 1870 and died on 22 October, 1913 in Darling Point, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Arthur married Jessie McKellar. Jessie was born in 1904 and died in November, 1950 in Sydney, Australia
29. Georgina Jane Smith (Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 8 June, 1847 and died on 31 May, 1899 in India
Her father's birthday list says she was born 5.35 p.m.
Georgina married Capt. Philip Hastings Parker R.N. One time commander of the Royal yacht "Victoria & Albert"
Philip and Georgina had the following children:
67. M i. Philip Morley Parker was born on 31 May, 1872 and was christened in Royal Navy College Chapel, Greenwich, England. He died in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
News clipping - no date - in Merilyn's Smith file.
Mr. Philip M. Parker, a graduate in engineering of Melbourne and Cambridge, is a passenger by the Mongolia, which is expected to arrive at the end of the present week. He has had experience on Indian irrigation works, and lately has been engaged in the design of filters and sanitary equipment for the British army in France. An opportunity of meeting him will be afforded to his fellow-students, and other graduates and students in engineering, at the institute rooms, 57-60 Swanston Street (Melbourne) at half past 7 on Saturday evening. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 17 of 32 68. M ii. Major Aubrey Hastings Parker M.C. was born in October, 1873
69. M iii. Hastings Theophilus Parker was born on 14 April, 1875 and was christened in Old Charlton Church, Kent, England and died in England after being wounded in North India
31. Alexander Henry Smith (Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 21 April, 1852 in Blackheath, England and died on 6 July, 1935 at "Langley", Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia
Alexander Henry Smith J.P. (1852-1935) Alexander Henry Smith was born in Hobart, Tasmania, in 1852, the son of Captain Alexander John Smith, Royal Navy, and his wife Sarah. His father, Captain Smith, served as assistant botanist in the British Navy's South Polar Expedition (1839-43) and was afterwards appointed by Governor Franklin as Officer-in-Charge of the New Hobart Observatory.
Alex Smith (as he was known), spent his childhood in Hobart Town. He came to North East Victoria in 1873 and bought a property called 'Mundara', at Laceby, 10 miles from Wangaratta. He set about enthusiastically to improve the property. Considerable effort went into draining swampy areas, eradicating noxious weeds, divining and boring for underground water supplies. He kept some fine horses, a fact, which did not escape the attention of the Kelly Gang. It is said Ned sometimes borrowed a horse or two but would always return them in his own time.
In 1877 Alex Smith married Emily Josephine Clarke, a sister of Thomas Clarke of 'Targoora'. They had a family of three daughters, including twins.
Alex Smith was active in community affairs over a great many years. He became an Oxley Shire Council member in 1882, and remained a councillor for 37 years. He was President of the Council eight times.
He retired in 1919 and in Mike Mooney's "Bridge to the Future, The story of Local Government in Oxley Shire, 1862-1962" it is stated his length of membership was to be unexcelled in the shire's first century. Alex Smith also had a long standing association with the Wangaratta Agricultural Society, he was a member of the committee for 59 years, President for 8 years; he was a member of the Victorian Board of Public Health for 25 years, a Lay Member of the Council of the Diocese of Wangaratta, and on the Board of Electors of the Diocese. It was said he was a man of sound judgement, without bias, whose help in any situation was always forthcoming.
Alex Smith came to live in Wangaratta from "Mundara" in 1905. The property he bought, "Langley" fronted Murdock Road - along to what is now Vernon Road. Two Wangaratta streets in that area are named for two of his daughters, Gayer Avenue (for Mrs. Amy Gayer) and Chomley Avenue (for Mrs. Gayer's twin sister, Mrs. Muriel Chomley). Alex Smith had a beautiful garden, and during his retirement he took great pleasure in building a stone wall or two to enhance the garden. After his retirement, he became a borough councillor and on occasions was appointed to arbitrate, as a valuer, in disputations over rate valuations in the Oxley Shire. He was also associated with the Wangaratta District Hospital Committee, and the Wangaratta Chamber of Agriculture.
Alex Smith died at his home "Langley" in 1935, aged 83 years. Thirty-two of his sixty two years in the district and town had been spent at "Mundara". In those days, he would have travelled to meetings - Shire Council, Church, Agricultural Society etc. - in a horse-drawn- vehicle pulled, no doubt, by a pair of splendid horses. The motor car did not make an appearance in Wangaratta and district until after the First World War. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Alexander married Emily Josephine Clarke daughter of Thomas Clarke and Mary Jane Docker on 4 April, 1877 at "Springhurst", Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia. Emily was born on 2 June 1852 at Gooramadda Station, Murray, Australia and died on 8 October, 1938 at "Langley", Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 18 of 32
From "Aunt Spencer's Diary, February, 1855
"Mary's daughter Emily Josephine Clarke, is about the same age as little Amy (Waterhouse). She is VERY fair and a most engaging child. We frequently walk to the banks of the Murray where we bathe almost daily - no fear of being seen except by cockatoos, magpies, or crows. We bathe in a kind of creek, formed by the windings of the river where there is a firm bed of sand. I frequently go before breakfast."
"I have been again to the Junction (in March). The journey was very pleasant, the weather most agreeable; such as we experienced in September. The grass was green; a beautiful carpet of young clover. You must see the verdure I am attempting to describe; otherwise you can form no idea of it. We halted several times and regaled ourselves with the good fare brought to us. Meanwhile the horses feasted on the young grass. Late in the afternoon we reached the Junction where Mrs. Whitlock, Ellen and Charles Whitlock had been staying for the last six weeks; also Louisa Docker. On our arrival Louisa Docker came to welcome us, but with so serious a countenance that I immediately asked what was the matter. "Oh", she said, "Little Emily is so ill. Mrs. Whitlock scarcely thinks she will live". Of course we were all sadly grieved; pool little girl, so patient and so good, but so very ill. A kind of low fever, she could not sleep or eat. She passed a very wakeful night, however Mr. Worthington (who is a surgeon) thinks she may recover. Mrs. Whitlock and her family leave the Junction tomorrow, taking Louisa and the conveyance to "Bontharambo". I write to my dear sister, relative to Emily Clarke. If anything claims the utmost kindness it is a sick child devoid of a parent's care. To all my enquiries, "Could she take etc. etc." the answer "No think you". This state of things continued several days, during which time Mr. Worthington and I applied mustard plasters and also various remedies. She afterwards almost imperceptibly began to change for the better. I do never remember feeling more grateful to providence than when she recovered, though slowly. In the course of a fortnight she was out of danger."
Alexander and Emily had the following children:
70. F i. Emily Irene Smith was born on 9 September, 1879 and died in October, 1946
71. F ii. Amy Maud Smith was born on 21 March, 1880 at "Mundara", Laceby, Victoria, Australia and died in April, 1965 in Melbourne, Australia. Amy married Oswald Ventry Gayer on 16 February, 1938 in Melbourne, Australia. Oswald died on 23 May, 1961 in Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia
Gained University Exhibition in French and German. With her twin sister, Lillie Muriel, and their parents, Pearl as she was then known, did a trip to Britain, Europe and the Middle East in 1905-1907 which was recorded in journals by Lillie. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
72. F iii. Lillie Muriel Smith was born on 21 March, 1880 and died on 23 May, 1961
32. Edith Margaret Smith (Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 15 August, 1854 and died on 14 April, 1906 in Liverpool
Catalogued all the Tasmanian shells and her book is in the British Museum (she illustrated it). (note in Muriel Officer's handwriting).
Edith married Dr. Thomas Gray. Thomas was born in New Norfolk, Tasmania, Australia and died in September, 1901
Thomas and Edith had the following children:
73. M i. Francis Derwent Gray
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 19 of 32 74. M ii. Huon Douglas Gray was born on 20 March, 1894 and died on 3 July, 1916 in Roulaix, France
75. F iii. Phyllis Edith Gray was born on 16 July, 1895
76. F iv. Dora Maud Gray
33. Maud Margaret Smith (Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 15 September, 1859 and died on 3 June, 1946
Maud married James Read Officer son of Robert Officer and Martha Read in 1887. James was born on 16 June, 1857 at "Rocklands", near Balmoral, Victoria, Australia. He died on 28 November, 1927 in "Warwilla", Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia
Educated Wesley College. Well known pastoralist, with a series of properties in western NSW, including "Billilla" 1910-21. He retired to "Worrough" near Seymour in 1921, and died 1927. (Colin Officer's account of the Officer family)
NOTE: See 'The Officer Family', #41 in the Eighth Generation for James Read Officer.
James and Maud had the following children:
77. M i. Mervyn Officer was born in 1888 and died on 27 January, 1889
78. M ii. Philip Langley Officer was born on 10 March, 1894 and died in 1963
Served 1st AIF in WW1 in artillery, and commissioned lieutenant in the field. Became managing partner of "Billilla" (on Darling River) for many years. (See Liber Melbourniensis). Unmarried. Very highly regarded in the family. (Colin Officer's account of the Officer family)
79. F iii. Lorraine Maud Officer was born on 6 September, 1891 and died in 1963
80. F iv. Eila Aubrey Officer was born on 11 December, 1889 in Toorak, Victoria, Australia and died on 23 September, 1941. Eila married Henry Seutonius Officer son of Suetonius Henry Officer and Mary Lillias Rigg Cairns in August, 1928. Henry was born on 9 July 1869 in South Yarra, Victoria, Australia and died on 3 July, 1948 in Yea, Victoria, Australia. They had no children
Birthdate is from Graham Officer's birthday book. Educated Toorak College and Melbourne University, graduating B.A., LL.B. Practised at the Bar for some years. Part manager of Kallara station, but finally moved to Yea where he purchased the old Killingworth homestead and some farmland around it, calling the property 'Duneira' (in later years it was changed back to its former name). He married his cousin Eila Aubrey Officer in 1928, who died in the mid 1930's. He then sold up and bought a new 'Duneira', an attractive house and garden at Olinda. He later sold this house to his cousin Hugh Ronald Officer. I remember staying at his Yea farm in 1932 or 33, recalls Colin Officer. He spent his declining years largely at the Melbourne Club and had no issue. (Colin Officer's account of the Officer family)
Sixth Generation
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 20 of 32 65. Alexander Francis Chomley (Aubrey Emma Elizabeth Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 14 January, 1867 in Prahran, Melbourne, Australia and died on 18 April, 1911 in at sea, Bass Strait. He was buried in St Kilda Cemetery, Melbourne
Alexander married Jessie Young Brown on 3 December, 1892 in Scot's Church, Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia. Jessie was born on 12 August, 1866 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia and died on 3 April 1948. She was buried at Springvale Crematorium, Melbourne, Australia
They had the following children:
81. M i. Rupert Rutherford Chomley was born on 23 October, 1893 in Avondale Road, Armadale, Victoria, Australia and died on 2 December, 1922 in Toorak, Melbourne, Australia. He was buried in Brighton Cemetery, Melbourne, Australia. Rupert married Clara Constance Douglass on 3 March, 1921 in Geelong Grammar School Chapel, Corio, Geelong, Victoria. Clara was born on 7 September, 1899 at "Narrawong", Garden Street, Geelong, Victoria, Australia and died on 13 December, 1987 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia
82. M ii. Alec Leslie Rutherford Chomley was born on 16 March, 1895 in Avondale Road, Armadale, Victoria, Australia and died on 29 July, 1939 at Rawson Hospital, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia. He was buried in the Presbyterian Section of Wagga Wagga Cemetery. Alec married Annie Olive Simpson on 26 March, 1921 in Scot's Church, Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia
83. F iii. Kathleen Aubrey Rutherford Chomley (twin) was born on 3 September, 1898 in "Monteith", Williams Road, Windsor, Melbourne and died on 21 July, 1956. She was buried at Springvale Crematorium, Melbourne, Australia
84. M iv. Norman Rutherford Chomley (twin) was born on 3 Oct 1898 at "Monteith", Williams Road, Windsor, Melbourne. Norman married Margaret Denniston Strong on 4 December, 1929 at All Saints Church, Tatura, Victoria, Australia
68. Major Aubrey Hastings Parker M.C. (Georgina Jane Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born in October, 1873 in St. Helliers, Jersey
News clip - no date- in Merilyn's Smith file.
News has been received in Melbourne that Captain Aubrey H. Parker, Flight Commander in the Royal Flying Squadron, has been twice mentioned in dispatches, and has been awarded the Military Cross and commanded by the King to appear at Buckingham Palace to be invested by His Majesty personally. Captain Parker is an old student of Trinity College, Melbourne, and is now a member of the Punjab Civil Service. When on leave in England he offered his services to the War Office (with the approval of the Indian authorities), and was accepted as an "observer" in the Royal Flying Corps. He is married to a daughter of Major Bartrop, of this city.
News clip - no date - in Merilyn's Smith file
Major Aubrey Hastings Parker, M.C., of Indian Civil Service, after four years in the Royal Flying Corps, beginning as a lieutenant and rising to a position on the Air Board, has returned to India to resume his duties as a justice of the High Court of the Punjab. Major Parker is on old Trinity Collegian, and his wife is the youngest daughter of Major Bartrop, also an old Trinity Collegian. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 21 of 32 Aubrey married Margaret Bartrop daughter of Major G F Bartrop V.D.F.
They had the following children:
85. M i. Reginald Hastings Parker was born in 1903 and died on 25 June, 1920 in Modania, Turkey
News clip - no date - in Merilyn's Smith file.
Died in Service Parker – Killed in action at Modania, Asia Minor, on 25th June 1920 Reginald Hastings Parker, midshipman, R.N. aged 17 years, dearly loved only son of Margaret and Aubrey Hastings Parker, M.C. I.C.S., grandson of the late Captain P. Hastings Parker R.N. and also of the late Major G.F. Bartrop, V.D.F. He was shot in the back by a Turk just as he was returning to his ship. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
70. Emily Irene Smith (Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 9 September, 1879 at "Mundara", Laceby, Victoria, Australia and died in October, 1946
Dr J. Leslie Henderson (1869-1948 and Emily Irene (1879-1946) 'The Doctor' and Mrs. Henderson, as they were affectionately known by the whole district, complemented each other so perfectly they must be profiled together. The Doctor, a gentle sensitive man with a keen sense of humour; Irene, a born organiser with a very direct manner, and both having a great enthusiasm for and involvement in Wangaratta and district community affairs.
Dr Leslie Henderson was born in Ballarat in 1869 and, after graduating M.B., B.S. from Melbourne University (1891) he was Medical Officer at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (Melbourne) for four years. He then practised in the Omeo district before coming to Wangaratta as assistant to Dr E.J. McCardel, later acquiring the practice. In 1905 he married Emily Irene, eldest daughter of Mr. & Mrs. A.H. Smith of 'Mundara', Laceby. They made their home at 'Taiwera' in Rowan Street; the house was moved to Sisely Avenue near Appin Street.
Although untrained, Irene assisted the Doctor in the surgery attached to the house and frequently went on his district rounds to help when needed. Mr. Angus Simmonds was their driver.
The Doctor had a long association with the Wangaratta Community Hospital and Irene worked tirelessly fund raising, particularly as president of the Hospital Ball Committee. Their second interest was 'the man on the land' and improvements in all areas of farming. Together with Messrs McDonald, Richardson and Larkings the Doctor acted on the Advisory Committee for the farmers' class at the Technical School; the Agricultural Science course started in 1933, five years after the school was established. The Doctor served on the school council from 1934 to 1947.
The Hendersons established a model farm at 'Nerang', Oxley, in the 1930s where they conducted many trials in pasture improvement. They also bred stud Jersey cattle. A field day was often held at 'Nerang' on Melbourne Cup day with afternoon tea served to coincide with the broadcast of the big race. Mr. Nelson Paul managed 'Nerang' for the Hendersons; he lived on the property with his wife and family.
The Wangaratta Agricultural Show loomed large in their community life, the Doctor a committee member, Irene with the District Exhibit committee president, Mrs. Arthur McDonald the chief organisers of the District Exhibit displayed annually at the Royal Melbourne Show. This necessitated a year round collection of items, transport to Melbourne and the setting up of the display (not to mention the dismantling and eventual return of items to individual owners). Wangaratta won every year from 1929 to 1932 thus retaining the Silver Trophy. The Show Society's Ladies' Committee was formed in 1932. Irene was elected secretary, Mrs. R.H. Mason, of South Wangaratta, president. The previous year Irene had been elected the
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 22 of 32 first president of the Local Association (the Support Group) of the Wangaratta Girl Guides. She retained the position for nine years.
They were both active in the Bush Fire Brigade movement and Irene in fundraising for a centrally located unit. When purchased in 1940 the unit spent some time housed in the 'Taiwera' stables. This unit was the one so disastrously burnt in the 1943 fire. Walter Swan, Eldorado Bush Fire Brigade member, remembers an incident during the 1943 fire when he came upon the Doctor and Irene, sitting in their car, in a burnt-out (the narrative finishes, page 125). (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Emily married Dr. Leslie Henderson on 30 August 1905. Leslie was born on 16 July, 1869 in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia and died in 1948
Educated at St. Patrick's College, Melbourne and Melbourne University, graduating M.B., B.S., 1891. Four years M.O., Royal Hospital for Sick Children; practiced Omeo district, then took over practice at Wangaratta; also interested in pasture improvement and stud sheep and stud Jersey cattle breeding. Is descended from the ancient Danish family of Yendresen, which some centuries ago migrated to the Hebrides and later settled on the mainland of Scotland, when the name was altered to Henderson, and they intermarried with members of the Clan Macdonald. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Leslie and Emily had the following children:
86. M i. John Alexander Leslie Henderson was born on 15 August, 1906 and died on 29 September, 1949
72. Lillie Muriel Smith (Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 21 March, 1880 at "Mundara", Laceby, Victoria, Australia and was christened in 1881. She died on 23 May, 1961 in Stanhope Court, South Yarra, Melbourne, Australia
Confirmed May 1897 in St Paul's Church, Glenrowan, Vic by the Bishop of Melbourne. First communion May 1897. She and her twin sister, Pearl, and their parents undertook a trip to Britain and Europe and the Middle East from December 1905 to May 1907. Merilyn Pedrick has transcribed Lillie's journals of the trip. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Lillie married (1) Charles Graham Weir Officer son of Suetonius Henry Officer and Mary Lillias Rigg Cairns on 1 Dec 1909 in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia. Charles was born on 2 Oct 1867. He died on 18 Feb 1911.
Educated Toorak College, Edinburgh University and Melbourne University, graduating B.Sc. Carried out scientific investigations in the Solomon Islands for Melbourne University; practiced his profession of Mining Engineer in W.A. and Tas. Later appointed joint manager of the family pastoral property, Kallara Station, N.S.W., with his brother Henry Suetonius. The Hobart Mercury, 20 Feb 1911 (Personal Notices) - Our obit notices this morning contain an announcement of the death at Hallgreen, New Norfolk on Saturday of Mr. Charles Graham Weir Officer, B.Sc. of Killara Station N.S.W. Son of the late Suetonius Officer and grandson of the late Sir Robert Officer. Deceased who was 43 years of age had been ill for some time. The interment takes place at New Norfolk Cemetery this afternoon. Death Notice - Officer, Charles Graham Weir, B.Sc. on 18 February, 1911 of Hallgreen N.N. dearly loved husband of Muriel and eldest son of Mary and the late Suetonius Officer, aged 43 years. (Colin Officer's account of the Officer family)
NOTE: See 'The Officer Family', #74 in the Eighth Generation for Charles Graham Weir Officer Officer.
Charles and Lillie had the following children:
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 23 of 32 87. F i. Sybil Muriel Graham Officer was born on 28 October, 1911 and died on 16 August, 1984
Lillie married (2) Campbell Meredith Ffloyd Chomley in 1922. Campbell was born on 1 October, 1874 in Woodstock, Victoria, Australia and died on 28 November, 1956 in Kallara, Mt Macedon, Victoria, Australia
J.P., Member of Synod, polo player with several clubs, member of Australian Club, life member of Royal Melbourne Agricultural Shop and Flemington Race Course. Mounted Rifles 1914-1918 War. Grazier at Killeen, Longwood, Victoria. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
Campbell and Lillie had the following children:
88. F ii. Roma Meredith Ffloyd Chomley was born on 18 June, 1923
73. Francis Derwent Gray (Edith Margaret Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John).
Francis married Edith Murial Bayley
They had the following children:
89. M i. Huon Gray was born in May, 1923
75. Phyllis Edith Gray (Edith Margaret Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 16 July, 1895
Phyllis married Reginald Baker
They had the following children:
90. M i. Michael Baker was born on 26 December, 1929
79. Lorraine Maud Officer (Maud Margaret Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 6 September, 1891 in Hermitage Plains, Nymagee, NSW, Australia and died in 1963 in Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia
Lorraine married Hubert Spencer Docker on 30 July, 1919. Hubert was born on 8 June, 1881 at "Bontharambo", Wangaratta, Victoria
Educated at Melbourne Grammar and Ormond College, Melbourne University. Engaged in pastoral pursuits on "Bontharambo" property, specialising in the stud breeding of Aberdeen Angus cattle, thoroughbred horses and Lincoln sheep. War service - enlisted 1916, private 5th Battalion A.I.F., served in France until end of War. (Colin Officer's account of the Officer family)
Hubert and Lorraine had the following children:
91. M i. Stanley Spencer Docker was born on 5 July, 1920 and died 24 June, 2007 at Wangaratta, Victoria.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 24 of 32
Seventh Generation
86. John Alexander Leslie Henderson (Emily Irene Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 15 August, 1906 in Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia and died on 29 September, 1949
Educated Xavier College, Melbourne and Melbourne University; graduated LL.B., M.A. Later took Post Graduate course at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he obtained honours in Law Tripos and degree of M.A. Cantab. Admitted to practice as solicitor in Supreme Court of Judicature, London, Feb., 1936. He joined the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of war, and became Squadron Leader. He survived the war, and practised as a barrister in London, but died some years after returning to Australia in 1947. His wife, Anna-Maria, predeceased him Their three daughters came to Australia with their father. (Sourced from Merilyn Pedrick)
John married Anna-Maria Bechi Rorengo Luserna di Campiglione daughter of Capt. Comte Luserna di Campiglione of Florence Italy on 8 June, 1936 in London, England. Anna-Maria was born in 1905 in Florence, Italy and died on 30 June, 1946 in London, England. She graduated B.-es-L., et Ph., at the Universite de Grenoble, France
John and Anna-Maria had the following children:
92. F i. Madelaine Mary Anne Amy Irene Josephine Henderson was born on 14 January, 1938 and died on 26 October, 1976
93. F ii. Mary Catherine Jeanne Marguerite Luserna Henderson was born on 12 February, 1941 and died on 1 November, 2002
94. F iii. Anna Marie Therese Philomene Cecile Dolores Henderson. Anna married (1) Andrea Zaccherini and (2) Drayton Phillips. Drayton was born in 1941 in Boston, Mass, USA. and died on 20 July 1997. Anna married (3) George Robert Parker Jr. on 4 July 1992
87. Sybil Muriel Graham Officer (Lillie Muriel Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 28 October, 1911 at "Langley", Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia and was christened on 20 December, 1912 in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia. She died on 16 August, 1984 in Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia and was buried in Allambie Gardens, Nerang, Queensland, Australia
Murlie's father died before she was born, and she was brought up at Langley, a lovely property at Wangaratta, Victoria, by her mother and her mother's parents whom she adored. She was much loved and probably spoilt - wearing little soft kid-leather shoes and having her grapes peeled for her! Murlie developed her love of gardening from her grandfather, Alexander Henry Smith, who gave her own garden plot to plant as she liked. Having Rudyard Kipling's "Jungle Book" read to her at night as a small child, gave her the idea of building an elephant trap and seeing who would fall into it. She spent many productive hours digging a hole in the middle of a path in her garden, covering it carefully with twigs and leaves, and then invited her grandmother, nee Emily Josephine Clarke, to inspect what she had planted recently. Of course Gran fell into it and was heard to utter "Oh, oh, oh!", which was obviously the extent of her swearing vocabulary.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 25 of 32 When Murlie was 12 her mother married Campbell Chomley, and the family moved to Killeen, Longwood, Victoria, a very beautiful property with a large, cool house and interesting garden. Murlie boarded at St. Catherine's School, Toorak and then at Clyde School, Woodend, where she excelled in music, dancing and drama. Murlie was a very good skier, winning many medals at places like Mount Buffalo, Mount Hotham and Mount Buller. She was also an excellent horse-rider and won prizes at gymkanas.
She travelled extensively in North America, Europe and Britain, and was presented to King George V and Queen Mary at Court in 1930. Her memories of this event were clouded with an excruciating need to "spend a penny", something she couldn't do, owing to the "all-in-one" underwear she was wearing at the time!
Murlie loved India and Ceylon and there are many funny stories about her escapades. She once "escaped" from her chaperone and hired a baby Austin car and a driver and tried to drive to Tibet. She was prevented from doing this as the borders were closed, but she got as far as Kalimpong and came back laden with beautiful Asian wall hangings and carved brass pictures. One of the places she stayed along the way had an enormous centipede on the wall, so she hit it with a golf club (did she really take them on the trip?) and it broke in two, and the two halves were running around!
In Ceylon, after a holiday there, she was due to catch a ship home, and some of the many friends who didn't want her to leave "kidnapped" her and took her to a party far away. As the time approached for the ship to depart, she finally persuaded a young man to drive her to her hotel, where she threw her things into a cabin trunk and they just made it on to the last tender to take them out to the ship. As they scrambled up the gangway, the young man said to someone standing at the rails "Look after this young lady on the trip to Australia, won't you?" and the man said "Australia? My dear chap, this ship is bound for China!!" So the cabin trunk and Murlie were duly off-loaded, and she had to wait for another ship!
Murlie met Morty when she and her step-father, Campbell Chomley, visited Mt. Victor Station, near Yunta, South Australia, on business. Murlie said "His eyes were blue, his shirt was blue and the sky was blue and I just fell in love". But it was their love of music which cemented their relationship. Murlie inherited great talent and love from her Officer forebears and Merilyn remembers nights when Morty was working at 5AD when Murlie would practise the piano for hours.
After their marriage, Morty and Murlie lived at 34 Prospect Road, Prospect, but Murlie hankered for the big place next door, and in the early 50s they moved into Audley House, 32 Prospect Road, the scene of many wonderful parties for many years to come.
After she and Morty were divorced, Murlie moved back to Victoria and lived in Orrong Road, Toorak. Then, one day as she and her Aunt Amy Gayer were flying home from a holiday in Japan, they passed over Surfers Paradise, and Murlie fell in love with the beautiful place (as it was then prior to development). She went there, and bought a little weather-board house right behind the beach and spent the rest of her life living in her bit of heaven. She walked and jogged and swam and waterskied, revelling in the lifestyle that Surfers offered. Many happy holidays were spent there when Merilyn brought the children up in the September holidays. (Merilyn Pedrick's account of her family)
Sybil married Horace Mortimer Marsh on 4 August, 1937 in St Johns Church, Toorak, Melbourne, Australia. The marriage ended in divorce. Horace was born on 1 August, 1904 in Boulder, Western Australia and died on 6 February, 1982 in Adelaide, SA, Australia. He was buried on 9 February, 1982 in Centennial Park, Adelaide, South Australia
In 1907 the family came to live in Adelaide when Morty was three, and they spent the first few months at the Rectory of St Luke's Church, where his grandfather, Rev. W.G. Marsh was the Minister. The family was then given the use of Thorpe Cottage, Crafers by his Uncle Ernest Ayers (son of Henry Ayers), who married his maternal grandmother's sister Barbara Milne. The family remained at Thorpe Cottage for several years.
Morty's first schooling was with a governess, Miss Rebbeck at "Derrymore", the home of Walter Hawker. His schoolmate was John Hawker. He remained there for twelve months and then started at Miss Collison's School, just below Thorpe. It was mainly a girls school, except for Morty, Tom Barr Smith, Mick Hawker and Bill and Bob Howard. Morty had beautiful golden shoulder-length hair at this time and was teased unmercifully by the other boys, who once tied
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 26 of 32 him to a tree by his beautiful locks! When Morty and Mavis were children at Thorpe Cottage, Roy Milne, who was Kitty's first cousin and Morty's Godfather, used to dress up as Father Christmas and give them wonderful presents. Once, Morty and Mavis found a cigar on the mantle-piece and thought they'd like to smoke it. So they borrowed their father's razor, which didn't cut very well. They smoked their two halves, and Mavis didn't turn a hair. On the other hand, Morty was so sick ,that a doctor had to be called. Not deterred - on another occasion Morty and Mavis were walking to church (of Epiphany, Crafers) when they found a packet of cigarettes between Thorpe Cottage and the Church. Once again they smoked one, Mavis didn't turn a hair, but Morty fainted in church!
When Morty was eight or nine he went to board at Miss Stanton's School on Broadway, Glenelg. His father was employed by Teasdale Smith & Timms as paymaster when this firm of civil engineers were putting the railway line through Sedan and to the West Coast. Mavis and Kitty used to go and camp there with him during his two-year stay. In 1916 Morty began school at St. Peter's College and boarded with Dr. Fooks, father of his friend Pem Fooks.
Meanwhile the family moved to Sydney when Horace transferred with Teasdale Smith. Morty played in the B cricket team and cleared 5'3" in the Under 14 high jump. On one particular Sports Day, Morty's mother was watching him jump with Mary Price, who just at the crucial moment shouted "Jump, you fool"! In 1921 Morty left school at 17. On the day he left school, Morty went to Birks, a department store in Rundle Street, bought himself a felt hat, then on to Lawrence's Tobacconists where he bought a pipe and a tin of tobacco, and then marched up and down King William Street blowing clouds of smoke everywhere and taking great delight in not tipping his hat to any school-masters he met! A few days later Morty boarded a train and went to Sydney, where he stayed for three years. During this time he was employed by Holt & Thompson, Public Accountants, where he was a trainee accountant. He had a wonderful social life, as young men were in short supply and because he had no money the girls used to pay for dinner and taxi fares.
In 1924 the family returned to Adelaide and Morty joined Edgar Sabine, Public Accountants, where there was the possibility of a future partnership with the son, Rolf Sabine. However, this was not to be, as Morty got the sack! Sometimes he used to sneak off for afternoon tea with Betty Bonython. Once when he was playing in a tennis tournament with Nellie Hamilton (later Begg, a State tennis player) he stepped on a ball and sprained his ankle, which put him out of action for a week or so, and he was unable to go to the office. Unfortunately he went to the finals of the tennis tournament and found himself sitting next to his boss, Mr. Sabine, who, during a break in play, leant across and said quietly "Don't bother coming back to the office Mortimer".
Morty then chose a life on the land, working for the next number of years on "Anama" and "Kalabity" Stations with the Hawker family, and then "Mount Victor" with his life-long friend John Chomley. Once at "Kalabity", Morty slashed himself while shearing; Walter Hawker cobbled up his arm with twine and a baling needle, and gave Morty half an hour off). After several years working with his godfather Roy Milne in Milne & Co. Morty developed T.B. in his eye, and was unable to do any close work. He had been turned down when he tried to enlist at the beginning of the 2nd World War due to very bad varicose veins, and following his interest in music, Morty left Milne & Co after long months during 1944 trying to shake of the T.B. and joined 5AD to begin a career in radio which lasted for the next 30 years until he retired. The mutual love of music shared by Morty and Murlie led to their famous "jam" sessions with Murlie on the piano and Morty on the fold-up organ he had bought from a travelling preacher when he was working in the bush. The organ finally "died" at a party at the Bob Seppelt's when he played it until it disintegrated! For years afterwards bits of it were found in the flowerbeds!
After Morty and Murlie's divorce in 1959, Morty married Rhonda Weepers, a colleague at 5AD in 1964 and their daughter Lucinda was born in 1965. Morty lived quietly and happily with his new family until he died. (Merilyn Pedrick's account of her family)
Horace and Sybil had the following children:
95. F i. Merilyn de Guerin Mortimer Marsh
96. M ii. Graham Officer Mortimer Marsh was born on 1 March, 1942 in Calvary Hospital, Adelaide, Australia. He was christened on 11 October, 1942 and
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 27 of 32 died in August, 1960 in British Columbia, Canada. He was buried in Banff Cemetery, Alberta, Canada
Graham was the middle child of the family. He was sensitive and sensible, with very fair colouring - golden hair, white brows and lashes and freckles. He was a very good person, obviously too good for this world, as he died at 18. Graham went to St. Cuthbert's kindergarten at Prospect, then to Queens College at North Adelaide, and then on to St. Peter's College. He worked hard and matriculated in 9 subjects. Graham was a very good tennis player, water and snow skier, with a very nice neat style in all the sports he played, and was popular with his friends. He was also a Scout, and loved the outdoors.
When he finished school he went overseas at the time his sister Merilyn was living in England. He bought himself a motor scooter, and travelled by himself all over Europe in the summer of 1959. By that time Merilyn and Merv had gone to live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and so Graham followed them there. Merv was able to get him a job with an oil company, working with a survey team in the wilds of British Columbia, and he had a tough, interesting time. In a letter, Merilyn received at that time, he said "If I ever get out of this alive I will have some stories to tell".
How prophetic that was. At the end of the summer he was due to return to Calgary, then back to Adelaide, where he would have begun his adult life. He was killed, as the light plane he was returning to Calgary in, hit a log on take-off from a lake. Five others were killed with him. (Merilyn Pedrick's account of her family)
97. M iii. Michael Anthony Mortimer Marsh
88. Roma Meredith Ffloyd Chomley (Lillie Muriel Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
Roma married Hugh Ross Thomson. Hugh was born on 26 May 1923 in Melbourne, Australia and died in Keeyuga, Glanaura, Victoria, Australia. He was educated at Geelong Grammar
Hugh and Roma had the following children:
98. M i. Hugh Chomley Ross Thomson
99. F ii. Rosanne Meredith Montgomery
91. Stanley Spencer Docker was born on 5 July, 1920 and died 24 June, 2007 at Wangaratta, Victoria. (Lorraine Maud Officer, Maud Margaret Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
Educated Melbourne Grammar and joined 8th Light Horse Regiment May 1939
Stanley married Patricia Howard Earp. Patricia was born in 1920 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and died on I5 March, 2007 at Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia
They had the following children:
100. M i. John Spencer Docker
101. F ii. Anne Louise Docker was born in 1952 in Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia. Anne married Peter Stewart Pennington. Anne died.
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102. F iii. Mary Lorraine Docker
Eighth Generation
92. Madelaine Mary Anne Amy Irene Josephine Henderson (John Alexander Leslie Henderson, Emily Irene Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 14 January, 1938 in London, England and died on 26 October, 1976 in London, England
Madelaine married Cesare Tibaldi
They had the following children:
103. M i. Alessandro Tibaldi. Alessandro married Velia Gaudio
104. M ii. Antonio Tibaldi
93. Mary Catherine Jeanne Marguerite Luserna Henderson (John Alexander Leslie Henderson, Emily Irene Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John) was born on 12 February, 1941 in London, England and died on 1 November, 2002 in Melbourne, Australia
Mary's Godparents: Co. G.S. Taylor, Oswald Gayer, Sgt. Damien Miller RAAF, Rawdon Smith, Lady Catherine Ashburnam, Roma Chomley, Hon. Anne Lytton-Milbank, Madmoiselle Tredicini de Saint Severin.
Mary married William James Flintoft on 15 August, 1964. William was born on 8 May, 1931 in Melbourne, Australia and died on 26 November, 1991
They had the following children:
105. M i. James Anthony Andrew John Flintoft
106. F ii. Madeleine Luserna Amy Delores Flintoft
95. Merilyn de Guerin Mortimer Marsh (Sybil Muriel Graham Officer, Lillie Muriel Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
Merilyn married (1) Mervyn Arkell son of Dr. William Joscelyn Arkell and Ruby Lillian Percival. The marriage ended in divorce.
Mervyn and Merilyn had the following children:
107. F i. Miranda Catherine Arkell
108. M ii. Simon Graham Arkell
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 29 of 32
97. Michael Anthony Mortimer Marsh Sybil Muriel Graham Officer, Lillie Muriel Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
With Meryl (surname unknown), Michael had the following child
109. F ii. Karine Cummins
Michael married Gwendoline Ann Schroeder
They had the following child:
110. M i. William Mortimer Marsh
98. Hugh Chomley Ross Thomson (Roma Meredith Ffloyd Chomley, Lillie Muriel Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
Hugh married Sarah Jane Archer
They had the following children:
111. F i. Kirsty Georgina Thomson
112. M ii. Hugh Archer Ross Thomson
113. M iii. Jock Richard Campbell Thomson
Ninth Generation
104. Antonio Tibaldi (Madelaine Mary Anne Amy Irene Josephine Henderson, John Alexander Leslie Henderson, Emily Irene Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
Antonio married Alison Hyman
Antonio and Alison had the following children:
114. M i. Alexander Anthony Henderson Tibaldi
115. F ii. Madeleine Mary Cartwright Jackson Tibaldi
105. James Anthony Andrew John Flintoft (Mary Catherine Jeanne Marguerite Luserna Henderson, John Alexander Leslie Henderson, Emily Irene Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
James married Siobhan McKenna
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 30 of 32 They had the following children:
116. M i. William Flintoft
106. Madeleine Luserna Amy Delores Flintoft (Mary Catherine Jeanne Marguerite Luserna Henderson, John Alexander Leslie Henderson, Emily Irene Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
Madeleine married Michael Laurence Johnson
They had the following children:
117. M i. Oliver William Laurence Johnson
118. M ii. Jeremy Matthew James
119. M iii. Twin 1 Johnson
120. M iv. Twin 2 Johnson
107. Miranda Catherine Arkell (Merilyn de Guerin Mortimer Marsh, Sybil Muriel Graham Officer, Lillie Muriel Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
Miranda married Christopher Guy Barnes
They had the following children:
121. F i. Jemima Madeline Barnes
122. M ii. Thomas Robin Gulliver Barnes
123. M iii. Joslin Guy Mortimer Barnes
108. Simon Graham Arkell (Merilyn de Guerin Mortimer Marsh, Sybil Muriel Graham Officer, Lillie Muriel Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
Simon married (1) Kimberley Ann Schauers
Simon married (2) Jeana Maria Ziroli
Simon and Jeana had the following children:
124. F i. Sohie Jean Arkell
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 31 of 32 109. Karine Cummins (Michael Anthony Mortimer Marsh, Sybil Muriel Graham Officer, Lillie Muriel Smith, Alexander Henry Smith, Sarah Aubrey Read, Mary (Elizabeth) Driver, John, John)
Karine married Richard John Lane. Separated
With her then partner Peter John (Jack) Jackson she had two sons:
125. M i. Luka Joe Jackson
126. M ii. Jake Dillon Jackson
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Page 32 of 32